'We stand by our...': Canada reacts after Indian men charged with plotting to kill Sikh extremist in US

‘We stand by our…’: Canada reacts after Indian men charged with plotting to kill Sikh extremist in US

An alleged assassination plot to kill an American Khalistani extremist and the subsequent indictment of an Indian men by the US Justice Department has given Canada a chance to reiterate its “credible allegations” tying New Delhi to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

The US has claimed that it thwarted an assassination plot of an American Sikh separatist who advocates for a separate Sikh nation in Indian state of Punjab.

It also said that US authorities have raised the issue with Indian government at senior most level and India reacted with “surprise and concern”.

On Wednesday, the US Justice Department charged an Indian men, Nikhil Gupta, 52 on murder-for-hire allegations. The US indictment also alleged that Gupta was being directed by an Indian government official.

Reacting to the development, Canadian foreign minister Melanie Joly said that while she won’t comment on what’s happening in the US, she will stand by what Canadian “credible allegations” linking New Delhi to Nijjar killing.

“When it comes to what’s happening in the U.S., I won’t comment directly because of course, I respect the work that the American law enforcement agencies are doing and I respect also the independence of their legal system,” she said.

“We stand by our own credible allegations that there was the killing of a Canadian, on Canadian soil, linking to Indian agents,” she added.

The US allegations comes just two months after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Ottawa has evidence of “credible” allegations linking agents of Indian government to the murder of another Canadian Sikh extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June early this year.

While India rejected Canadian PM’s claims as “absurd and motivated”, the issue triggered a massive diplomatic row between Canada and India.